Readings from the Scripture

In every Divine Liturgy there are two kinds of readings from the Scriptures: the first (the Apostolos) is an excerpt from the New Testament Epistles or the Acts of the Apostles, the other (the Gospel) is an excerpt from the Gospels.

But before the Gospel, the priest reads the prayer of the Gospel, in which it is implied that by His Incarnation the Lord lifted the all-encompassing spiritual darkness and let the true Light shine upon Earth.

12 from Αθωνική Ψηφιακή Κιβωτός on Vimeo.

Some commentators of the Divine Liturgy stress at this point something really important: a clear contrast between the Old and the New Testaments. In the Old Testament God's will was revealed dimly, in an enigmatic way, whereas in the New Testament the word of the Gospel shines with its directness, rendering each faithful a witness of Christ's teaching, i.e. a witness of His work of salvation (Passion-Resurrection-Ascension).

This is why we ask for His Light! Not any kind of light but the light of godly knowledge, the one that only He can implant in our souls, so that we are able to see Him, comprehend Him and opt for the truth of His life and His offer of salvation. Godly knowledge is acquired in two ways: by God recognizing humans as His offspring and by God revealing His existence to them. In this process a fight against the 'desires of the flesh' is a prerequisite. The 'desires of the flesh' are not the everyday human needs (food, clothes, love, etc.), but their misuse, i.e. the degrading passions.

The content of the prayer of the Gospel provides a spiritual framework for the Christian, who wants to fully understand the teaching of Christ.


Last modified: Wednesday, 7 October 2020, 8:23 PM